Fellow passengers: Very much leisure, visiting friends and relatives market, not a suit in sight.

How full? Almost chokka. About half a dozen of 133 seats empty.

Entertainment Old school. There was a bumper Hobbit-themed in-flight magazine and a few screens that folded down from above the seats which showed the clever Hobbit-themed safety video. Air New Zealand's new safety video is at least watchable, unlike anything featuring Richard Simmons.

The service: Three attendants didn't have a lot to do. Some useful advice about the next day's Hobbit premiere when we landed.

Food and drink: As was explained, the airline wants to keep Nightrider fares down, so refreshments are limited to just a boiled sweet before landing.